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Mindful Monday: Metta Meditation

Happy Monday! April rolled in like a lion and is out of here like a little lamb. Such a great reminder of anicca – the impermanence of everything.

Let’s practice our metta meditation as we welcome in the month of May. Metta translates to loving kindness, evoking the warm feelings of good will and allowing that warmth to permeate your entire being. It’s first practice towards one’s self, as that’s truly where compassion begins.

Let’s begin.

Find a comfortable seated position, and take several deep breaths to release tension and stress. Let go of any concerns or preoccupations as you focus on feeling your breath.

As an aid to the meditation, you might hold an image of yourself in your mind’s eye. This helps reinforce the intentions expressed in the phrases. I often visualize myself as a small child.

Begin to repeat the following phrases to yourself; feel free to come up with your own mantras.

May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be safe. May I feel peaceful and at ease.

While you say these phrases, allow yourself to sink into the intentions they express. Loving-kindness meditation consists primarily of connecting to the intention of wishing ourselves or others happiness. However, if feelings of warmth, friendliness, or love arise in the body or mind, connect to them, allowing them to grow as you repeat the phrases.

After a period of directing loving-kindness toward yourself, bring to mind a friend or someone in your life who has deeply cared for you. Then slowly repeat phrases of loving-kindness toward them:

May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you feel peaceful and at ease.

As you say these phrases, again sink into their intention or heartfelt meaning. And, if any feelings of loving-kindness arise, connect the feelings with the phrases so that the feelings may become stronger as you repeat the words.

As you continue the meditation, you can bring to mind other friends, neighbors, acquaintances, strangers, and animals.

Now call to mind someone with whom you’ve had difficulties and perhaps someone who has hurt you in some way. Direct your loving kindness toward that person or persons.

May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you feel peaceful and at ease.

You can either use the same phrases, repeating them again and again, or make up phrases that better represent the loving-kindness you feel toward these beings.

Sometimes during loving-kindness meditation, seemingly opposite feelings such as anger, grief, or sadness may arise. Take these to be signs that your heart is softening, revealing what is held there. You can either shift to mindfulness practice or you can—with whatever patience, acceptance, and kindness you can muster for such feelings—direct loving-kindness toward them. Above all, remember that there is no need to judge yourself for having these feelings.

Finally, direct your loving kindness toward all living things, including yourself in this category.

May we be happy. May we be healthy. May we be safe. May we feel peaceful and at ease.

Metta acknowledges that we are all human and that we all experience a full range of emotions, and that all sentient beings will choose good over bad feelings when given a choice.

Metta recognizes our shared connection and solidarity with all living things.

Metta is generosity, kindness, empathy and friendliness toward all living beings.